Bayer Shares Surge as Partner Forecasts Sales Growth for Prostate-Cancer Drug

By Joe Stonor

Shares in Bayer jumped 6% after Finnish pharmaceutical company Orion predicted strong growth for darolutamide, a prescription prostate-cancer medication on which the two companies partner.

Bayer stock gained 5.8%, or 2.26 euros, to 41.2 euros in early afternoon European trading Wednesday. Shares in Orion also leapt on the announcement, gaining 12%. The Helsinki-listed company is the biggest riser in the Europe-wide Stoxx 600 index.

Bayer and Orion partnered in 2014 to develop darolutamide, with Bayer funding development while Orion handled the drug's manufacturing. Bayer is responsible for taking the drug to market globally.

Darolutamide is Orion's biggest drug by far and its main profit-driver, the company said. Sales of the drug could exceed 1 billion euros ($1.16 billion) in the future, it added.

Orion guided for net group sales for this year of between 1.9 billion euros and 2.1 billion euros and for operating profit of 550 million euros to 750 million euros.

The company hasn't released 2025 earnings, which are due on Feb. 12. It previously guided for 2025 net sales of between 1.64 billion euros and 1.72 billion euros and for operating profit of 410 million euros to 490 million euros.

Darolutamide, which is sold under the brand name Nubeqa, is approved for use in the U.S., U.K. and the European Union.

Bayer shares are trading at a two-year high after rising steadily since last fall. The company's stock is up more than 40% in the three months to Tuesday's close.

Write to Joe Stonor at josephmichael.stonor@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

January 14, 2026 09:17 ET (14:17 GMT)